Lifeimi Mafi will miss Munster's Heineken Cup games against London Irish and Toulon after being banned for seven weeks for a dangerous tackle in the loss to Leinster on Saturday.

An IRFU disciplinary panel gathered on Tuesday to review Mafi's tackle on Gordon D'Arcy in the 19th minute of Munster's 13-9 derby loss, for which the centre was sin-binned during the match.

Mafi, who has the right to appeal the decision, was found guilty of a "top end" dangerous, ruling him out of the two Heineken Cup matches as well as Munster's next three Magners League fixtures.

An IRFU statement read: "Having studied the match footage and heard all available evidence, the disciplinary panel found Mafi guilty under law 10.4 (e) for a dangerous tackle and decided that it was at the top end of entry for such an offence.

"The panel took into account the player's previous good disciplinary record before they imposed a sanction of seven weeks' suspension, up to and including Sunday, November 21."

Munster have been boosted, however, by the return of Ireland international back Keith Earls, who came through a training session unscathed on Tuesday on his return from groin and ankle injuries.

Meanwhile, Munster confirmed a minute's silence will be held in memory of their former player and Ireland legend Moss Keane, who died on Tuesday at the age of 62 after a long battle with cancer, when the Irish province travel to face London Irish in their opening Heineken Cup fixture on Saturday.